Self-locking cover



Feb, 16 1926. 1,573,279

1. v. SILVEIRA SELF LOCKING COVER Filed Dec. 1, 1924 IN V EN TOR. [9/1 000 1 l5); lit/RA Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

ISAURO V. SILVEIRA, OF FALLON, NEVADA.

' SELF-LOCKING COVER.

Application filed December 1, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAURO V. SILVEIRA,

a citizen of the Republic of Portugal, and

a resident of Fallon, county of Churchill, and State of Nevada, have invented a new and useful Self-Locking Cover, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cover locking devices for cans or shipping cans, and more particularly to devices for use in connection with milk cans, and has for its primary object the provision of a device of this character which is simple of construction, strong and durable, efieetive for the purpose in tended, and which will securely hold the cover in a relatively fixed position upon the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide cover locking means which can be readily attached to milk can covers of usual term and construction and which will be characterized by means that will coact with the mouth of the body ot't-he can without requiring changes in the construction thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover lock having latch devices joined together by actuating means which serves also as a handle for manipulating the cover Q.vrhen applying same to or removing the cover from the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover lock characterized by means functioning to facilitate the operation of securing the cover in applied position to the can, and which will permit of quick Withdrawal of the cover as desired;

Another object of the invention is to provide a cover locking device having a novel form of latch mechanism whose control means will be protected by the walls of the cover so that it cannot be actuated accidentally by objects contacting with the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device of this character whose construction is such that its association with the cover and body of the can will not prevent such parts from being properly sterilized and maintained in a" sanitary condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide cover locking means which will eliminate the necessity of the usual form of tie Wires that are passed through the Serial No. 753,275.

cover and through the flange of the neck of the can.

l Vith the above and other objects in View which will appear as the nature of the inpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a preferred form and modifications of the invention, it being, however,

understood that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope the claims may be resorted to when desired. Figure 1 1s a plan view of a milk can and its cover showing an application of my invention thereto;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line II-Il of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a can and its cover showing slightly modified form of my invention; and

Figure 4: is a section taken on line IVIV of Figure 2.

In carrying the invention into practice,

I use a milk can 5 of customary form and construction, the same having a neck terminating in a flared upper flange or mouth 7. This cover is provided at dia1netrically opposite points with openings and 9 in the fiared'i'iange 10 of the cover 11.

This cover, aside from certain forms and details necessary to the accommodation of my invention, is also of the customary we known construction.

Mounted on the flange 10 below the openings 9 therein are brackets 12.

These brackets may be riveted at 13 to this flange,

or they can be soldered thereto, as may found desirable.

It may be also found advantageous to solder as well as rivet these brackets to this flange.

Each of the brackets is provided with a swinging link or bail 1a which pivotally carries a lat device or dog 15.

These dogs are in substantially horizontal alinement with the openings 8 and 9 when the cover is in its intended position of adjustment. Each these dogs is provided prefeably with circular extension 16 adapted to be projected into the mating coinciding openin 8 and 9.

The aforesaid dogs or latch devices 15 are connectedtogether by rivets 16 or the like by means of a resilient handle 17. This handle is preferably in the form of a. fiat leaf spring which tends normally to assume a straight or horizontal position, whereby to rock the dogs 15 in directions that will cause their extensions 16 to engage properly in the said coinciding openings 8 and 9. The spring 17 acts in the dual capacity of a handle for'manipulating the'cover when applying it to or removing same from the neck of the can, and as resilient means orv an actuating mechanism for normally holding the dogs distended or projected in their mating openings in the flanges 7 and 10 respectively.

When it is desired to adjust the cover to the can, pressure in a downward direction is exerted against the medial part of the spring 17. -The cover 'is then moved or adjusted circumferentially until the openings 8'c'oincide with the openings 9. Inpractice the'openings 8, and 9 are each of a diameter suflioiently in excess of the diameter of the extensions 16' to permit the latter to find their positions in said openings, as will be.

understood. Vvhen pressure is released from the spring 17, it follows that the spring tends to straighten out to its normal position, and in so doing, the links11 are rocked outwardly and the extensions 16 projected in their respective openings 8 or 9.

hen it is desired to remove the cover from the can, substantially the inverse of thisiaction occurs, pressure being applied to the under side of the spring 17 medially thereof. Thisdraws the links 14 inwardly and permits the extensions 16 of said latch devices or dogs to befreely withdrawn from their latch openings."

, In Figure 3, in lieu of circular openings in the flange 7, I employ circumferentially elongated openings 18. The opening 18 shown'in Figure 3 receives the cylindrical extension 19 of the latch device 20. In this form I find that the elongated slot 18 facilitates theoperation of adjusting the latch.

In some cases it is required under State ordinances that the covers of milk cans be sealed until they reach their destination so that they cannot be opened without detection while in transit. In order that this can be accomplished in connection with my invention, I employ a destructible sealing strip 21 which may be made of textile material coated on oneside with an adhesive. After the latch devices '15 are adjusted to cover-locking positions, the adhesive side of the sealing strip is moistened and secured at one end to oneof the devices 15 and at its other end to the flange of the cover of the can. It is preferred that the intermediate portion of the strip 21 be'weakened in order that it may be destroyed readily if an attempt is made to flex the spring 17 when the can is in transit. This weakening of the strip may be accomplished by cutting incisions in the side thereof as at 22, or it may be accomplished by simply weakening the transverse portion 'of the strip by cutting thereinto for a suitable part of its depth. The adhesive used on the unaer side of the strip 21 may be of any suitable well-known water-proof variety.

' I claim:

1. A can having an opening therein, a cover fitting the can, a rocking latch device carried by the cover, and a normally flat spring handle carried by the cover and connected with said latch device to respectively project same into and retract same from said opening. r

2. A can having openings therein, a cover fitting the can at the openings, rocking latch devices carried by the cover, and a flexible normally flat handle carried by the cover and connected with said latch devices to actuate samewhen the handle is flexed.

rsAUno v. SILVEIRA. 

